Destemming and Crushing White Grapes

Destemming and Crushing Grapes for White Wine

During the destemming and crushing process, the grapes are placed in a funnel/basket known as the hopper. The stems are separated and the grape skins are broken. Some wineries even macerate their white grape must for up to two days.

Destemmer/crusher machines range in size and expense. The smallest can be operated by hand by turning a crank. They come in single roller and double roller styles. Hand crushers are placed over and attached to a container which collects the juice. The grapes are passed through rollers and are crushed. The largest machines can crush over 50 tons of grapes per hour.